


Choose or Have Chosen

by Ononymous



Series: Christmas 2020 Stories and Requests [1]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Eve, Gen, Post-Undertale Pacifist Route
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:14:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28322187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ononymous/pseuds/Ononymous
Summary: Big events can change us. We can even be aware of when and how they change us. That doesn't stop us clinging to old assumptions about the world. Even at a time like Christmas Eve, do you go all in on trying to be like you used to be, or do you accept those differences, and embrace them in the hope of even better differences?Or maybe you play checkers with a skeleton who thinks he's your friend. And might be sort-of right.
Relationships: Flowey & Papyrus (Undertale)
Series: Christmas 2020 Stories and Requests [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2074179
Comments: 4
Kudos: 20





	Choose or Have Chosen

The broiling clouds had broken apart after leaving their pristine gift all over the land, revealing a pale blue sky already being conquered by pinks and golds as the sun was already retiring from its brief appearance that day. But the clouds weren't vanquished, just regrouping, the southern horizon threatening their return and yet another blizzard. But for now the setting sun cast long shadows among the trees of the forest, leaving the ground scattered chaotic patches of shining white and darkening blue. Over the strong breeze, repeated crunching noises could be heard as a number of feet struggled through the snow.

"This is where you saw him?" asked one such struggler.

"Y-yeah," shivered the answer, "or well, picked him, I guess."

As might be expected, the taller of the two speakers was leading the way with bold strides, her firey hair fluttering in the wind. Her razor sharp teeth where chattering however, not really suited for the current climate. Her companion followed closely behind, struggling to keep up with her pace given their smaller stature, but otherwise enduring the cold much more stoically. They carried a large jar with a flame burning away, despite the lack of any apparent fuel, the patchwork of shadows dancing as the localised light source continued to move.

"I hope we find him soon," said Frisk.

"I said I'm s-sorry!" snapped Undyne, more in response to her own conscience. "I didn't mean to scare him off, I just w-wanted to be on g-guard. Damnit, pass me that jar, would ya, my f-fins are gonna freeze."

Frisk obeyed, watching Undyne's posture relax as the magical flame warmed her up. "I didn't say anything."

"I know, I know..." she muttered. "Why'd you wanna bother with him, anyway? He was a jerk to Alphys, and for no reason!"

Frisk looked at Undyne's footprints. "I have a present for him..."

Sensing that further questioning wouldn't make any sense, Undyne continued forward, scowl on face. Nearby, more snow was being audible shoved aside. Only instead of the punctuation of footsteps, it was a constant trudge, like a stick being dragged through it. At the source of the sound, yellow petals were forcing their way through.

"...a guy wants to see _one_ tree and that maniac goes after him? Ugh, I knew that was a mistake..."

Unlike his pursuers, who could bypass large swathes of snow by stepping over it, the flower had to push his way through every inch. Before long he started panting. Not because he needed to, but because his mind subconsciously still thought he needed to. His flight could have been carried out in complete silence, but that wasn't his style.

"I dunno - _huff_ \- why I still - _huff_ \- stay around - _huff_ \- those idiots. - _Huff huff_ \- Actually I do know, and - _huff_ \- I'm an even bigger idiot than- huh?"

The distant crunching noises of Frisk and Undyne were drowned out by a new set of crunching footsteps, much closer to his current position. Flowey cut off the curse he wanted to utter. But the damage was done, as the new steps unmistakably grew louder.

"Ugh, I don't have time for a third stalker!" He snarled, sick of running. "Whoever you are, get lost before I-"

"OH, IT'S YOU!"

By any logical deduction, the newcomer must have walked from around the tree, though from Flowey's perspective it really looked like he'd gone straight through it. If his red boots hadn't confirmed who had just found him, then the eternally self-confident grin lowering itself to get in Flowey's face did, his teeth as pale as the rest of his skull.

"FLOWERY!" cheered Papyrus. "HOW THE DEVIL ARE YOU?"

"Annoyed," replied Flowey, lowering his hackles, "what do you want?"

"WANT? WELL, MANY THINGS. BUT NOTHING FROM YOU RIGHT NOW, I WAS JUST TAKING A POST-MID-PRE-SUNSET-AFTERNOON CONSTITUTIONAL BEFORE I HELP MY BROTHER WITH SOME FESTIVE CHORES. NOW WHAT DO YOU WANT?"

"Nothing from you," echoed Flowey, "I'm just trying to be on my own, and it's annoyingly hard right now."

"IT IS?" Papyrus scratched his mandible. "I NORMALLY CLOSE MY BEDROOM DOOR."

"Well to do that I'd need a bedroom, id-" Flowey shook his head. "Never mind! That maniac guard's after me and I haven't a clue why."

"GUARD, WHICH GUARD?" A distant _"Ngah!"_ of a stubbed toe answered his question. "OH, UNDYNE! WELL I'M SURE WE CAN CLEAR THINGS UP IF WE WAIT FOR HER."

"No, that human's with her, and I don't wanna talk to _them_ either."

"WHY NOT?"

Instead of an answer, Flowey smiled. " _Heyyy_ Pap, we're friends, right?"

"INDUBITABLY!"

"I thought so. Well could you do me a favour and help me get away from them?"

His calcified brow furrowed. "I'M NOT SURE IF EVADING THE CONFLICT WILL MAKE ITS RESOLUTION ANY EASIER, FLOWERY."

"Buddy, the conflict isn't going away over a nice chat. C'mon, pleeeeeeease?"

Papyrus sighed, unnecessarily. "ALRIGHT. HOP ON."

Flowey obeyed, wrapping himself around Papyrus' left arm. Satisfied his passenger was secure, Papyrus resumed his march into the forest.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU BURROW?" he asked after a while.

"Huh?"

"IN SNOWDIN, YOU LIKED TO PULL THAT TRICK WHERE YOU DIVE INTO THE GROUND LIKE WATER AND DISAPPEAR. I LOVED THAT TRICK! IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE ANYONE, WOULDN'T THAT BE THE BEST PLACE TO HIDE FROM EVERYONE? APART FROM THE MOLES, OF COURSE."

Flowey's face grew rigid. "It's too cold right now. In Snowdin it was no trouble, maybe because of the magic, but it feels really cold when I do it here. And then I start feeling sleepy and..." Papyrus felt him tremble. "I don't like that feeling. Like I wouldn't wake for months. If at all."

"I SEE." Flowey found his head being pat. "THAT SOUNDS REALLY SCARY! AND FLOWERS GENERALLY DO POORLY WHEN IT SNOWS ON THE SURFACE. DO YOU REMEMBER THAT FREAK BLIZZARD IN SEPTEMBER?"

Flowey's face was conveniently hidden by shadow. "...yeah..."

"OH, THAT HOCKEY GAME WAS DELIGHTFUL! BY THE WAY, DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR DUAL PURPOSE RIBBON AND SCARF?"

"Uh, no. Guess I lost it."

"LAMENTATIONS! WELL ANYWAY, THE KING WAS REALLY WORRIED ABOUT HIS FLOWERS THEN. IF ANYTHING HAPPENED TO ANY ONE OF THEM I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE'D DO."

"But snow's no problem to you, right?" said Flowey, flattering his taxi. "Skeletons aren't bothered by hot or cold, you said once."

"INDEED. BUT JUST IN CASE..." Papyrus lifted up his magnificent red cape to reveal a second magnificent red cape underneath it. "ALWAYS BE PREPARED!"

"Well golly Papyrus, you sure do think ahead!" Flowey looked around. The forest looked completely different in the true twilight they were now in. "Hey, where are we going?"

"I... I'M NOT SURE, I WASN'T THINKING AHEAD."

"We're lost?! That's just great!"

"WELL... IT'S UNLIKELY UNDYNE WILL FIND YOU THEN, ISN'T IT?"

"But-" Flowey's tirade died before it got started. "Huh, good point. And it ain't like I got anywhere to be."

"I DISAGREE. YOU HAVE SOMEWHERE VERY IMPORTANT TO BE."

"Wuh-? Like where?"

"WITH A FRIEND! NYEH HEH HEH!"

In his chuckling, Papyrus missed Flowey's eyes rolling. "Better than being marched into prison at spearpoint or- hey, what's that?"

A light was visible through the trees. With nothing else to focus on, Papyrus naturally walked towards it, eventually emerging into a clearing with a large log cabin with an array of Christmas lights.

"I KNOW THIS PLACE. THE HOLIDAY FAMILY LIVES HERE! WHY DON'T WE SPEND SOME TIME OUT OF THE COLD FOR YOUR SAKE?"

Flowey stared at the darkened windows. "I don't think anyone's home."

"WELL NO, I BELIEVE THEY'RE ON A TROPICAL VACATION. BUT ASGORE ASKED ME TO RUN AN ERRAND HERE ONCE, I SHOULD STILL HAVE A KEY. THEY WON'T MIND, I'M SURE." He rummaged around his pockets. "OH NO, IT MUST HAVE BEEN IN MY OTHER BATTLE BODY!"

Flowey sighed, unnecessarily. "Look under the gnome model of Asgore next to the mailbox."

With a not-actual-blink, Papyrus obeyed, finding a key there. "WOWIE, YOU WERE RIGHT! DO YOU KNOW THE HOLIDAYS AS WELL?"

"I did, once. Or twice."

Papyrus unlocked the door, and found little need to reach for a light switch. A magical fire, conjured by Asgore on his last visit, was roaring happily in the fireplace, and its light was reflected by the myriad baubles on the tree in the corner. Buck-tooth grins were apparent on every photograph. Papyrus held his left arm out, and Flowey untangled himself and seemlessly rooted in the floor before the fire.

"THERE WE GO, MUCH MORE PLEASANT THAN PLOWING THROUGH SNOW, EH?"

"...yeah," he admitted.

"NOW THEN, I BELIEVE WE HAVE IMPORTANT BUSINESS, FLOWERY."

"Ugh, what now?"

Papyrus rummaged in his pockets again, and this time successfully retrieved a small red parcel. "'TIS THE SEASON!"

Flowey stared at him. "Did you know you would meet me today? Why on earth would you carry that around?"

"I TOLD YOU, BE PREPARED. GO ON, OPEN IT. YOU'LL NEVER GUESS WHAT IT IS!"

"...bet I will..." he grumbled, pulling on the string keeping the box closed. He nudged the lid open and peered inside. "Yep..."

"YEP!" Papyrus reached inside the box and yanked out its crimson content. "ANOTHER DUAL PURPOSE RIBBON AND SCARF!"

Flowey's expression turned to a glower. "You got me one months ago, remember?"

"WELL YES, BUT THAT WAS A FRIENDSHIP PRESENT. THIS IS FOR CHRISTMAS NOW! BESIDES, YOU LOST THE FIRST ONE." He showed off his backup cape again. "ONE IS NONE; TWO IS ONE! HERE, LET ME..." Flowey offered no resistance as Papyrus wrapped it around his stem. "EXCELLENT, WE HAVE MATCHING SCARVES AGAIN!"

"...whatever. Thanks, I guess."

Papyrus' smile threatened to break free of his face. "I'M GLAD YOU LIKE IT! NOW, IF WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR UNDYNE AND THE HUMAN TO GIVE UP THEIR PURSUIT, SHOULD WE PLAY A GAME? I KNOW THE GIRLS HERE HAVE QUITE A COLLECTION OF BOARDGAMES."

They certainly did. Chess didn't last long, because Papyrus kept confusing how Knights and Bishops moved. Checkers was more on his level, but Flowey had a knack for setting up moves to take out most of his pieces in a single bound. The game that held the longest attraction for them was MTT™ _Jetpacks and Trapdoors_. All the while the clouds outside moved in on the inky black sky, and the snow started up again.

"Okay, I rolled two. One, two, dangit, another trapdoor."

"OH DEAR, BAD LUCK FLOWERY. MY TURN..." He rolled. "ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FI- A JETPACK! IT TOOK ME TO ONE HUNDRED, I WIN AGAIN!"

"Good for you." The words lacked any enthusiasm, and Papyrus picked up on it.

"YOU KNOW, I'M BEGINNING TO SUSPECT YOU AREN'T ENJOYING THIS GAME VERY MUCH."

"It's not very hard," admitted Flowey, "in fact, it's random. There's no clever trick to win this game, it's all down to the dice. If you can't manipulate those, there's no way to know who will win. And I never got the hang of that."

"I SEE. WELL, WHY NOT TRY A DIFFERENT GAME. THERE'S THIS DUNGEON DELVING ONE-"

"No. Played it."

"OH, WELL HOW ABOUT THIS ONE SET IN OUTER SPACE?"

"Played it."

"THEN HOW ABOUT _MONOPOLY_ -"

" _Played. It._ " The threat was bare in his tone. "I've played 'em all, and I'd cream you. That gets boring quickly. With _Jetpacks and Trapdoors_ , I never know the outcome."

"WELL THAT'S A SHAME," said Papyrus, "WE'LL HAVE TO FIND NEW BOARD GAMES NEXT TIME."

"...I dunno if there'll be a next time. Hey, d'ya think Undyne's given up?"

"HMM..." he checked his watch. "PROBABLY NOT. MAYBE IN ANOTHER FIVE HOURS. OH, BUT YOU SAID FRISK WAS WITH HER? MAKE THAT EIGHT."

" _Uggggggggggggh..._ "

"I SUPPOSE IF KING ASGORE CALLED HER SHE MIGHT GIVE UP."

Flowey shook his head. "He's busy this evening."

"HMM, GOOD POINT, HE USUALLY IS. OH, WELL WHAT IF THEY RUN INTO SANTA? THAT WOULD BE ENOUGH DISTRACTION FOR ANYONE."

"Hey Pap. Y'ever wonder why Asgore's never around when Santa's going around?"

Papyrus looked thoughtful. "THE DUTIES OF THE THRONE ARE MANIFOLD, I SUPPOSE. EVEN IF IT'S JUST TENDING TO THE ROYAL FLOWERS."

"But think about it." A cheeky grin spread across his face. "Asgore, a large hairy guy, says he's too busy to see anyone, then a large hairy guy you don't normally see the rest of the time is walking about town! Makes you think maybe someone's trying to be someone they're not? Telling lies to people who look up to him?"

Papyrus obeyed the order to think. His mitten'd hands drummed quite effectively on the wooden floor. "ARE... YOU SAYING... ASGORE'S ACTUALLY..."

"Yesssssss..." His voice rang with triumph.

"GIVING JIMMY HOTPANTS A NIGHT OFF FROM ICE HAULAGE? AND DOESN'T WANT ANYONE TO KNOW? WELL I'M NOT SURE WHY HE'D BE CONCEALING THAT FROM US, BUT IT'S INCREDIBLY THOUGHTFUL OF HIM!"

A die bounced off Papyrus' skull. "You really are an idiot. Well, maybe I should leave here and just hope they actually run into Santa or something."

"OH, WHAT IF DOCTOR ALPHYS CALLED THEM, THEY MIGHT ABANDON THEIR HUNT-"

"If I don't wanna talk to Undyne or Frisk, I _really_ don't wanna talk to _her_ ," spat Flowey.

Papyrus scratched his skull. "I DON'T UNDERSTAND, FLOWERY. WHAT DID YOU DO TO UPSET THEM?"

"Me upset them? This time?" Flowey let the question hang for a while. "I might have yelled a lot at Alphys once. I was really rude." He winked. "It felt good!"

Papyrus nodded reproachfully. "AH, THAT WOULD EXPLAIN UNDYNE."

"But that was ages ago, in the spring. Earlier today I snuck into town because I heard the tree was being lit up again..."

Papyrus nodded. "THAT'S RIGHT, IT WAS EVEN BETTER THAN THE SEPTEMBER TREE."

"Well I never got to find out. Before I know what's happening I hear a 'STOP IN THE NAME OF A FAT GOAT, PUNK, NGAH!' and she's bearing down on me with that human behind her! Who needs to deal with that at a time like this? I bet Alphys was in on it too. I just, how long can one lady hold a grudge?"

"VERY LONG," said Papyrus, "BUT EIGHT MONTHS IS INDEED A LONG TIME EVEN FOR HER. ARE YOU SURE SHE JUST WANTS TO SCOLD YOU FOR ALPHYS?"

"Well what else would she want with me? Her and that human, like I have anything else to say to them."

Papyrus slapped his forehead. "OF COURSE, FRISK! UNDYNE MUST WANT YOU FOR THEM! AND THERE'S ONLY ONE REASON FOR THAT..." He got to his feet and struck a dramatic pose.

Flowey once again rolled his eyes. "They wanna be my friend?"

He choked about as much as one without a windpipe could. "W-WELL, YES. AND MAYBE THEY WANT UNDYNE AND ALPHYS TO BE YOUR FRIEND, TOO."

Flowey flicked away his _Jetpacks and Trapdoors_ counter. "Well that ain't happening. I don't need them as a friend."

"YOU DON'T?" Papyrus sat back down on the floor. "WELL THAT'S A SHAME. I THINK YOU'RE A GREAT FRIEND."

The responding chuckle was hollow. "Well yeah, obviously you'd think that, but-"

"NO, REALLY. ALWAYS OFFERING ME ADVICE, ENCOURAGING ME TO JOIN THE ROYAL GUARD, TELLING ME WHAT COLOUR TO MAKE MY BATTLE BODY, AND IT'S ALL MADE ME MORE COOL AND POPULAR. AND YOU HAVE NO OTHER MOTIVE THAN TO BE A GOOD FRIEND."

Flowey gritted his teeth. "My only motive? You clearly haven't been paying attention."

"AND THIS BEGAN," ignored Papyrus, "RIGHT WHEN WE FIRST MET. I WAS TALKING THROUGH SNOWDIN FOREST, AND YOU CALLED OUT TO WARN ME THAT A BRANCH WAS ABOUT TO BREAK, AND I LEAPT CLEAR JUST IN TIME. THEN YOU SAID MY CRY OF SURPRISE WAS REALLY FUNNY. YOU'VE BEEN NOTHING BUT A FRIEND SINCE-"

"Actually, the first time we met," interrupted Flowey, "I saw you walk under the branch as it broke, and it hit your head before I could say anything. I hurried over and helped pull it off you and asked if you were okay, and you said it would take more than a deciduous sneak attack to vanquish the Great Papyrus."

Papyrus' jaw held its mid-open position from when Flowey recounted the true origin, patiently processing what he heard. "...THAT SOUNDS LIKE WHAT I'D SAY," he finally concluded, "BUT I'M PRETTY SURE I'M RIGHT ABOUT HOW YOU MET ME."

"How I met _this_ you," said Flowey, growing impatient, "but not _that_ you. The first you. I don't think you realise how many 'you's I've met."

"...SEVEN?"

A vine slapped down on the board as Flowey's face twisted. "Not even close. I couldn't tell you how many, but if we were ever friends, that probably ended the time I tripped you and then broke the branch on purpose to see what would happen. It wasn't pretty!" His accompanying giggle wasn't hollow this time, but neither was it full of anything pleasant.

Papyrus looked deep in thought. "IS THIS ONE OF THOSE CONCEPTS SANS TOLD ME ABOUT?"

The giggles stopped. "Are you really that dense? Oh, look who's asking, of course you are! Could you stay focused on how nasty I've been to you?!"

"WELL YES, THAT ONE TIME SOUNDED INCREDIBLY RUDE-"

"Not. Even. Close." he repeated. "We fell far from being friends after that."

"...CASUAL ACQUAINTANCE?"

"...you thought that. No matter what I did. But get this through your thick skull, we aren't friends."

Papyrus looked into the deepest shadow of the room. "BUT A PAPYRUS AND A FLOWERY WERE FRIENDS. OR MAYBE STILL ARE? SURELY THAT COUNTS."

"No!" he screeched. "Not after everything I did! You can't be my friend and my enemy and my plaything all at once!"

"MAYBE I CAN. OR WAS THAT ONLY FOR CATS?"

"And if you can't," he continued, bypassing Papyrus' philosophical musings, "then they sure as hell can't! I never even bothered laying the groundwork with Undyne this time, nothing can bridge that gap now!"

Papyrus examined the hand-carved dice they'd been playing with. "IF WE HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN FRIEND AND FOE, WHY FOE? WHY DECIDE HOW WE TALK BASED ON THE WORST THING YOU'VE EVER DONE, RATHER THAN THE BEST THING YOU'VE EVER DONE?"

Flowey's beady eyes bulged. "I was a completely different person when I did that. And even if you only count this time round, I've only been faking. When the human fell, you remember how I told you who to call and to get everyone together? That was my plan. You were just a useful-"

"OF COURSE! WHEN FRISK CAME ALONG!" Papyrus returned to his feet.

"Huh?"

"YES, YOU ADVISED ME TO GET THEM TO TALK WITH ALPHYS AND THEN TO GATHER EVERYONE AT THE CASTLE AND THEN... WELL I'M NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED, I RECALL BEING CHALLENGED NOT TO REVERT TO OUTDATED THINKING, BUT NEXT THING I KNOW THE BARRIER WAS BROKEN! I DOUBT THAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF JUST FRISK AND ASGORE HAD JUST TALKED. SOMETHING ABOUT US COMING TOGETHER LET FRISK BREAK THE BARRIER. AND YOU ARRANGED THAT! IN A WAY, YOU BROKE THE BARRIER!"

Papyrus held out his arms to help present the enormity of his conclusion. Flowey stared at him for the longest time. Then threw _Monopoly_ at him.

"I'm leaving."

"NOW? BUT UNDYNE-"

Flowey began to glide to the door. "Don't care, maybe getting executed is better than listening to your babble for one more second."

"I DON'T THINK FRISK WOULD ALLOW THAT..."

"And _that_ sicko? Maybe I can finally convince them to let me go. Can't evade the conflict forever, right?"

"BUT FLOWERY..." He stepped forward, but received the whip crack of a vine to keep him clear.

"And that's not my name either. Some friend you are, can't even get that right!"

"IT'S NOT?" His jaw contorted in horror. "YOU'RE RIGHT, I'M AN AWFUL FRIEND! UM, WHAT IS YOUR NAME?"

The flower stopped moving. "...doesn't matter what you call me. Guess that's why I never corrected you before. Whatever's convenient."

"...DID YOU EVER TELL ME? NOT 'ME' ME SPECIFICALLY, ONE OF THE OTHER ME'S."

"...once. The hassle wasn't worth it."

Papyrus risked another step forward. No backlash came. "I'M SENSING A LOT OF CONFLICT. YOU'RE GOOD AT HIDING THIS, I CAN NORMALLY REALISE HOW TROUBLED SOMEONE IS BY HOW THEY BLINK. THIS IS HOW I KNOW SANS HAS NO WORRIES AT ALL. WHAT DO YOU WANT, FRIEND?"

The F-word earned another whipcrack. "I just want to leave this all behind and be alone!"

"THEN WHY DO YOU KEEP TURNING UP? EVEN AFTER WE LEFT THE UNDERGROUND, I SEE YOU AROUND TOWN AND SAY HELLO. YOU NEVER REPLY, YOU JUST HIDE YOUR FACE SOMEHOW, BUT YOU COULD HAVE JUST LEFT. AND DURING THE SEPTEMBER BLIZZARD WE TALKED ABOUT PRESENTS, AND I OVERHEARD YOU TALKING ABOUT HOW YOU HELPED SOMEONE WHILE FRISK WAS AWAY, THOUGH I DIDN'T CATCH THE NAME. I EVEN ASKED ABOUT A BIKE, BECAUSE I'M VERY GOOD AT PICKING UP ON SARCASM, BUT NEVER GOT TO ASK YOU ANY MORE DETAILS. I DON'T THINK YOU REALLY WANT TO BE ALONE."

"No, I don't." The sudden cheery tone was full of mockery. "But trying to be a good old buddy chum pal friend guy with everyone is a sick joke, and I'm bored of laughing."

"IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE EVERYONE, YOU KNOW. YOU'D NEVER GET A CHANCE TO SIT DOWN." A stifled chuckle reached Papyrus. "HUH. NORMALLY WHEN I TELL A JOKE YOU LAUGH UPROARIOUSLY AND TELL ME AT LENGTH HOW HILARIOUS I AM. THIS SMALL CHUCKLE FEELS RATHER... DIFFERENT. I LIKE IT! MAYBE YOU'VE CHANGED SINCE THE UNDERGROUND."

"...I did. Even now. But not as much as I could have."

"WELL MAYBE THAT'S WHY YOU'RE CONFLICTED. YOU THOUGHT YOU HAD IT ALL FIGURED OUT, BUT THE PICTURE IN THE JUMBO CONNECT THE DOTS PUZZLE BOOK HAS CHANGED AND YOU HAVEN'T JUST REDRAWN THE LINES?"

Flowey finally turned back. "You should have seen the picture I drew back then. It can't ever be that good again. Too many pages I scribbled on. And don't you _dare_ start with a big speech about 'just trying until it all works out'!"

Papyrus frowned. "WELL YES, THAT WOULD BE MY PLAN A. BUT MAYBE YOU'RE PUTTING TOO MUCH HOPE ON INSTANT SUCCESS. I ALWAYS TRY TO COMPLETE MY DUTIES AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE WITHOUT ERRORS. I CAN SHAVE MINUTES OFF MY TIME, BUT THERE ISN'T A SINGLE WIN CONDITION. MAYBE THESE IMPERFECT INTERACTIONS CAN... LEAD TO LESS IMPERFECT INTERACTIONS? BETTER PUZZLES TO LESSEN YOUR OLD SCRIBBLES?" Flowey echoed his frown. "ALRIGHT, LET ME ASK YOU. IF YOU WENT TO UNDYNE AND FRISK NOW, WHAT'S THE WORST THAT COULD HAPPEN?"

"Undyne stabs me through the head with an evil glint in her eye-"

"THAT'S RIGHT, NOTHING!" said Papyrus, bypassing Flowey's catastrophising. "A FEW ANGRY WORDS MAYHAPS, BUT THEN YOU WILL PROBABLY BE LEFT ALONE. MAYBE NOTHING AT ALL WILL CHANGE, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO RIGHT AWAY. AND MAYBE THERE WILL BE A CHANGE AFTER ALL." Flowey looked doubtful. "AND MAYBE I'LL ASK ABOUT THAT BIKE AGAIN."

As he spoke, Papyrus had gradually outstretched his hand, as if inviting Flowey to climb aboard again so they could find their pursuers together. Flowey made no move to reciprocate, but kept looking blankly back at him.

"...fine. But not with you. I'm gonna lead them around the forest for a bit longer, make her work for it, and I'll listen to what Frisk has to say, maybe even let myself be convinced, but I'll make them work for it too. On one condition."

"WHICH IS?" Papyrus clutched his jaw in delight.

Flowey knocked over the rest of the board games. "You clean this place up, idiot!"

"DEAL!"

Flowey vanished beneath the floorboards, and Papyrus walked up to the door just in time to see him surface amid the snow now bitterly falling and glide into the woods. Another distant "Ngah!" told Papyrus Flowey wouldn't get too far. As he tried to sort out the different pieces from the different games, Papyrus didn't know he'd never see Flowey again. Instead, late on Boxing Day, Queen Toriel delivered a large box tied up with a pretty red ribbon, revealing a large supply of oatmeal with dinosaur eggs, and a letter of introduction from a new friend who had a lot to talk about.

**Author's Note:**

> [What happened next.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13221003)
> 
> Let me know what you think, and Happy Christmas!


End file.
